Chroming fabrics



T. SIMPSON.

GHBOMING FABRICS.

Patented Mar. R1882.

N. PETERS. Phaw-uthognphan Walhingtnn, D C.

(No Model.)

HMVJMLIVELLEJW NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS SIMPSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CHROMING FABRICS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 254,713, dated March '7, 1882.

' Application filed January 3, 1882. (No specimens.) I

.To all whom tt may concern:

Be itknown that I, THOMAS SIMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ohroming Fabrics, fully described and represented in the following specification and theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

My invention relates to. certain' improvements in chromingfabrics, fully described hereinafter, wherebyabsolute uniformity in color is secured and much of the waste incident to the usual modes of operation is avoided.

In the ordinary process of chromin g padded or printed fabrics the fabric after padding or printing and drying is passed through a vat containing the entire body of heated chromingsolution, and is then squeezed preparatory to soapiu g, washing, and drying. The large body of solution in which the fabricis immersed in its passage to the squeezing-rollers dissolves or washes off portions of the material used for padding, which precipitate in the vat, the precipitate accumulation reducing the strength of the liquor and rendering it dirty, so as to streak the fabric and gradually so impair the solution that the portions of fabric last dyed are of a different shade from those first treated. Efforts are made to avoid this by constantly feeding the vat with fresh liquor, but this also varies the strength and the color of the goods, and in time the vat becomes so choked that the entire contents must be thrown away as waste matter.

To secure an absolutely uniform product and reduce the waste incident to the above-described process, I pass the fabric through a very limited volume of solution, supplied as fast as it is used from the main body, so that there is no opportunity for the liquor to dissolve or wash 011' the padding, and the solution is maintained of uniform strength. I further heat the fabric after chroming, and submit it to a bath,

whereby the chroming action is arrested when the fabric has the proper color.

Different apparatus may be employed in carryingoutmy improved process. That which has proved in practice to be effective is shown in the annexed drawings, in which-- Figurel is a sectional elevation of the apparatus, and Fig. 2 a detached sectional view; The body of chromingliquor is contained in the main reservoir or tank H, and thence is a pipe, 19, having a lateral extension, t, perforated, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to uniformly distribute the chroming-solution in the tank,

and thereby prevent one side or part of the supplied to a supplemental tank, A, through ers n n is conducted to an inlet-opening, t, of

the box B, and after passing around the rolls b is directed through an opening, d, carried to the bottom of 'the bath-tank G, and thence to the squeezers gfg. By thus dividing the chroming-liquid into two bodies I avoid passing the strip of fabric through the main volume, and submit it to the action of such a very limited quantity that none af the padding can be dissolved or washed off, and there being consequently no precipitate in the chrorning-tauk, the uniform quality of the chroming solution is maintained. It is desirable that the volume of liquid through which the traveling strip of fabric passes be as much reduced as is practicable, it being only necessary that it shall be sufficient to insure a thorough saturation of the fabric at the rate at which it passes through it. If the speed of the fabric is reduced, the volume of liquid in the supplemental tank A may likewise be reduced; but when the fabric is carried rapidly through the tank there should be sufficient liquid maintained therein to thoroughly charge the strip during the limited time for which it is immersed. Whatever liquid is taken up by the saturation of thefabric is supplied from the main tank, so as to maintain a constant quantity in the supplemental tank. The heating of the strip in the box B after passing it through the chroming-tank facilitates the chroming action, and theimmersion of the strip in the waterbath arrests this action when it has reached the proper stage, preveutin g any further change or deterioration of color. lam thus able to insure the most absolute uniformity in the treatment of the goods, and thus secure the production of goods of uniform color. After the strip passes through the bath it may besoaped,

washed, and dried, as usual.

I do not here claim the apparatus described, as it constitutes the subject of a separate application for Letters Patent; but

'I claim 1. The mode described ofchroming fabrics, the same consisting in passing a traveling strip of padded or printed and dried fabric through a volume of chroming-solution, sufficient to permit the thorough saturation of the moving strip, and feeding said volume from a main body as fast as it is taken up by the fabric, then heating said fabric without drying, and then passing the same while Wet through a bath of water.

2. In the chroming of fabrics, feeding the chroming-solutiou into a supplemental tank, through which the fabric travels, so as to maintain a uniform quantity therein, and after passing the fabric from said tank hearing the same and passing it before dr ring through a water bath, as specified.

3. In the process of chroming fabrics, first chroming the fabric, then heating the same, and then subjecting it before drying to a bath, as and for the purposes set forth,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing 0 witnesses.

THOS. SIMPSON. 

